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But we are also trying different stuff -- so it will NOT be a big cavalcade of voice actors; Anime Vegas already does a good job givign people access to the autographs and such, so that isn't going to be our focus.

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But we are also trying different stuff -- so it will NOT be a big cavalcade of voice actors; Anime Vegas already does a good job givign people access to the autographs and such, so that isn't going to be our focus.

Stay tuned.

So Vegas is kinda experimental? Like trying out different things you're thinking about introducing to Baltimore? Or will the two be fundamentally different?

I'm just wondering how much of a "mini Otakon" Vegas will be, or if there's going to be things drastically different.

But I know you also don't like to share your secrets.

Vegas is partly experimental; some things we're hoping to try, some stuff we know wouldn't scale properly in Baltimore, etc. But we're also hoping that this new event grows into its own personality. Maybe it'll have a different mix of live action or cultural stuff versus anime, maybe it'll focus more on other Asian cultures. We've got some stuff pretty solidly in mind, but we're keeping an open mind about where we go with the content.

It's fair to say that we're starting a first-year con, with 20 years experience.

Is it sad that every time I see that image of the dude at his desk yelling, all I can think about is Alabaster?

That's because it's my alter ego from the video game. They sprung it on me at the meeting before Otakon, because the lawyer made them tell me that they were using my likeness as "The Evil Dr V"...

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What is your thought on one of the heated discussion in Doctor Who Cannon do you think that the War Chief is The Master as you know this has been sort of a hot topic over the many years.

Also do you buy this whole thing that the Doctor is the last of the Time Lords that RTD started pushing on all of us.

1.no, I don't think it is the Master. I think there were quite a few renegades, more than the Time Lords wanted to admit. There is nothing in the Doctor's interactions with him that matches the tone of how he interacts with the master.

Known renegades: the Doctor, the Master, the Rani, Drax, The War Chief, the Meddling Monk; arguably, Romana and Susan Foreman; I would add Omega to that list, too. But also, Irving Braxiatel and Iris Wyldthyme from the books.

I am content with RTD's explanation that the Doctor believed for a long time that by time-looping Gallifrey, after all the renegades were called home for the time war, they're all trapped. That said, there are any number if ways that they could skirt that statement. Romana knows how to get in and out of E space; the Master escaped by not being a time lord at the moment of the time loop. There are options, but for the most part, we are better off not worrying too much about them until the right story comes along.

(Not sure if I buy the rumor about Susan showing up for the big special this year...

Currently negotiating with Sunday musical act, awaiting response from seiyu, and waiting for some industry decisions. Holding off on a few key decisions pending some conversations we plan to have in Tokyo in a few weeks. Expect a director and either a manga ka or other artist type to flow from these. Next wave of guest announcements likely in late march, though some may materialize prior to that.

Yo, Jim, as I'm about as much of a Disney nerd as I am an anime/Japanese cuture nerd, got a couple of Disney-inspired questions for ya.

1) When Walt Disney started breaking ground on Disney World before his untimely death, he mentioned that while he'll continue to develop Disneyland, "the Florida Project" offered the blessing of size he never had in California, allowing him and the company to put all the ideas they had in mind that wouldn't quite fit in Disneyland into motion there. Would you compare the expansion of Otakon to Vegas as something similar, due to the amount of convention space in Las Vegas?

2) As you're the head of the Guests department, any plans to implement a sort of "Fastpass"-esque system to the guests lines? I ask because Disney does something similar for Star Wars Weekends in which they distribute a particular amount of fastpasses for any given guest's signing, then allows park visitors to line up for a guest even if they don't have a fastpass, but those with them still go first at their allotted time. For instance, they get a fastpass for Guest A, and once all 200 or so faspasses are passed out for the hour that guest will be there to sign things, there will be no more, but visitors can still line up. Then at, say, 1:00, 50 park visitors with a 1:00 fastpass go get their stuff signed, and then those without fastpasses go, then at 1:15, 1:30, and 1:45 this repeats. Of course whatever Otakon does wouldn't have to be exactly like that, that's just an example. Something I thought I'd throw out and see if you guys are attempting something like that.

3) For the Otakon museum, are any of the recordings/photographs going to be on display, or are they going to remain "in the Otakon vault" as it were?

Also, in terms of non-Disney related questions:

4) I am an aspiring historian of East Asian history. As such a guest who is a professor or even just a plain historian of Japanese or Chinese or Korean history would be a huge draw for me... Are there any plans to invite such guests to speak if not this year then in the future?

5) I recall you mentioning Otakon attempting to bring over Paku Romi but every time you got her all set and ready to come, she had work pull her away, but that she's still interested in coming. Any attempts of bringing her over again lately, or do you have to keep tight lipped about that?

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Yo, Jim, as I'm about as much of a Disney nerd as I am an anime/Japanese cuture nerd, got a couple of Disney-inspired questions for ya.

1) When Walt Disney started breaking ground on Disney World before his untimely death, he mentioned that while he'll continue to develop Disneyland, "the Florida Project" offered the blessing of size he never had in California, allowing him and the company to put all the ideas they had in mind that wouldn't quite fit in Disneyland into motion there. Would you compare the expansion of Otakon to Vegas as something similar, due to the amount of convention space in Las Vegas?

2) As you're the head of the Guests department, any plans to implement a sort of "Fastpass"-esque system to the guests lines? I ask because Disney does something similar for Star Wars Weekends in which they distribute a particular amount of fastpasses for any given guest's signing, then allows park visitors to line up for a guest even if they don't have a fastpass, but those with them still go first at their allotted time. For instance, they get a fastpass for Guest A, and once all 200 or so faspasses are passed out for the hour that guest will be there to sign things, there will be no more, but visitors can still line up. Then at, say, 1:00, 50 park visitors with a 1:00 fastpass go get their stuff signed, and then those without fastpasses go, then at 1:15, 1:30, and 1:45 this repeats. Of course whatever Otakon does wouldn't have to be exactly like that, that's just an example. Something I thought I'd throw out and see if you guys are attempting something like that.

3) For the Otakon museum, are any of the recordings/photographs going to be on display, or are they going to remain "in the Otakon vault" as it were?

Also, in terms of non-Disney related questions:

4) I am an aspiring historian of East Asian history. As such a guest who is a professor or even just a plain historian of Japanese or Chinese or Korean history would be a huge draw for me... Are there any plans to invite such guests to speak if not this year then in the future?

5) I recall you mentioning Otakon attempting to bring over Paku Romi but every time you got her all set and ready to come, she had work pull her away, but that she's still interested in coming. Any attempts of bringing her over again lately, or do you have to keep tight lipped about that?

1. It's more like if Disney *World* had evolved first, and they suddenly got the chance to do a cool new venture in California.

2. Nope. We do special "front of line" passes for contest winners, but that's about it.

3. Still working on that. It's Scott's baby now, though, so I'm as interested as you are to see how it evolves.

4. We are working on some "academic speaker" options. I would encourage you, if you you're in the area, to get connected with the JICC (Japan Info & Culture Center) in DC, which has a monthly lecture series. I have *really* wanted to go to quite a few of them but they usually start before I get out of the office.

5. As always, I will comment on possible guests in ways that are generally amusing for me and unhelpful for you. So yeah, the door's still open, but she's a busy lady.

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Have you guys talked with Comix Wave about getting a screening of the new Makoto Shinkai film (Kotonoha no Niwa)? It seems like Otakon has had a pretty good relationship with them in the past, with early screenings of his last 3 movies and Shinkai as a guest 2 years ago.

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Have you guys talked with Comix Wave about getting a screening of the new Makoto Shinkai film (Kotonoha no Niwa)? It seems like Otakon has had a pretty good relationship with them in the past, with early screenings of his last 3 movies and Shinkai as a guest 2 years ago.

Yeah, that was a great experience. All I can say about your question right now is that yes, it's on our radar.

Even as we speak, people are loading up my schedule for our Tokyo trip and there's about 10 meetings firming up in advance. Some are for meeting new folks, many are for staying in touch, and a few are for things like meeting with production folks about the concerts.

(My favorite part, however, is usually hanging out with Maruyama. We usually eat some great food and go to an onsen and that's something I look forward to -- we really need to adopt that spa culture for guys here!)

Ah yes, I'm actually wanting to see what comes out of the TIAF. Well, there are two shows I'm pegging for the next quarter, Arata the Legend (The Animation), and Valvrave the Liberator. Is there anything you yourself are looking forward to in April yes?

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Ah yes, I'm actually wanting to see what comes out of the TIAF. Well, there are two shows I'm pegging for the next quarter, Arata the Legend (The Animation), and Valvrave the Liberator. Is there anything you yourself are looking forward to in April yes?

Honestly, some years I am only there long enough to walk in the door and meet people. It's all meetings, meetings, meetings for me. Though I have been able to see some cool stuff *outside* of TAF that is better than what they're showing off there.

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I’ll throw some questions out there. Thanks in advance for taking the time to answer them.

1) Which guests (that Otakon has gotten over the last twenty years) was the hardest to get, from your experience?

2) Which Otakon for you was the easiest to run? (as in most stress-free, easy going, and not a lot of issues/drama).

3) What is your opinion on that convention attendance is going up across the USA but the anime US industry is struggling? (Roland Kelts

had a great panel exploring this topic).

4) What is the biggest barging chip that you have used to pitch Baltimore the city, to a Japanese guest? (who might have been on the fence about coming across the world for Otakon.)

Some pretty open ended questions, thanks for taking the time, Jim.

1. Hardest to get? As in, that we've actually *gotten*? Aya Hirano took a while...but I think Yoshida Bros took the *longest* to secure.

2. For me, 2008 went pretty smoothly.

3. Whatever Roland says, I probably agree with. (grin). Seriously it's because fandom in the US is not linked to buying stuff anymore, and because fan-run anime cons have been more adaptable (or at least accepting) and more savvy than the scifi/trek cons they sprang from.

4. Often it's the seafood. Nightow, IIRC, is a big wrestling fan and was delighted to be at the Arena which broadcast some wrestling event he watched all the time. Some are baseball fans, a few are fans of John Waters or Barry Levinson. I joke sometimes about Baltimore, and the fact is we have to be realistic in that we are competing with LA/Disneyland/Hollywood on one side and NYC on the other. So you forgo the glamor and the romance and instead find a real city that has real people in it, and perhaps less famous, but equally awesome, bits of of history and art to explore.

Part of my pitch is simply to say "look, we are from a city that is solid, working class, friendly, and informal. That's who we are, and how we try to welcome you -- like a big dysfunctional but mostly fun family that treats you like a long-lost relative we're happy to have over for a visit. We want you to come and talk about what you love and what you do, to people who love what you do, and we want you to have fun." A lot of what I do in Tokyo is try to stay in touch with people, because a guest who remembers you and your event fondly will recommend you to others as a good time.

But mostly it's the sea food. Poor Crabby-chan!

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This was a discussion at work today so I would like to here your thought and any other staff can chime in.

Since we have quite alot of Conventions in Bmore/DC Area do you guys get to talk to other Cons Staff about what work and what doesn't and and how many Otakon Staff are also Staff at some of the other local cons.

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This was a discussion at work today so I would like to here your thought and any other staff can chime in.

Since we have quite alot of Conventions in Bmore/DC Area do you guys get to talk to other Cons Staff about what work and what doesn't and and how many Otakon Staff are also Staff at some of the other local cons.

Other cons(assuming you mean others that use the BCC) : Not terribly often, though Visit Baltimore and the BCC do often use us as an example of a well-run show. Occasionally we get inquiries from fan/genre cons, but the firemen and the Baptists don't really solicit our advice; they are running very different events. I know that Bronycon contacted us fairly recently (after we found out about them getting the week before us) but I am not sure what became of that -- those are logistical questions and I usually leave those to the experts.

How many Otakon staff staff other cons? I would lots, if not most. I am a rare exception, or was until I opted to help out with Vegas.

I figure the best way to become staff is to volunteer and to take on each task with enthusiasm, no matter how mundane it may be. Yeah, holding back the masses at the autograph entrance is kind of thankless, but it DOES serve an important purpose and how you handle the stress generated by the people who want to get in line way too early goes a long way towards showing the existing staff your "mettle". On the other end, some tasks were as simple as carrying a bunch of supplies for a pen workshop. Treat them all with a がんばる (ganbaru) attitude and you're likely to make a much bigger impression on the staff.

Staff have been digging around for mementos from 20 years -- starting with every program book and t shirt, old photos, awards, and other memories...

Long time attendee (since '94), first time poster. I have flyers from the '9 6& '97 cons, and I might still have a sheet of badges from either '95 or '96. (I remember thinking about getting rid of it a few years ago, but I don't think I did.) I also should have the program guides from '94 on (though some of them have writing on them). Are any of these useful for your museum?

I think we actually have a lot of this stuff covered already -- but if not, we'll get the word out. That's Scott's pet project, not mine.